She ran away, Who came Back?
by XAnonymousXWriterX
Summary: These are Bex's thoughts and feelings on everything that happened during out of Out of Sight, Out of Time. /'To me she was gone, Cammie was still on the run./I thought about that manic, crazy look in her eyes. Something was wrong./ If you haven't read OSOT don't read.
1. She Came Back?

**Out of Sight Out of Time-Bex POV **

**A/N- If you haven't read Out of Sight out of Time yet don't read. **

She was alive; Ms Morgan and other members of the Gallagher staff were away on a 'rescue mission.' I didn't know why but I didn't want to celebrate. I mean sure for the first time in like 4 months I actually knew she was alive but she had left alone when she could have had back up. Cove Ops rule number 21: An operative should never enter a deep cover situation without initiating emergency contact protocols. Up until now I wasn't angry I was upset. Upset that she had left, upset that she had left ALONE. I even would have preferred her being with Zach than being alone. For the first time in four months I was allowed to be angry because at least I knew she was alive. I knew that she was injured and had no memory of the summer but by no means was I going to go easy. Mace and Lizzie already said that they were going to pretend that nothing had happened but I couldn't manage that.  
Zach had been so helpful and kind during the summer. I know it was his fault that she left but he didn't think she'd actually do it, I guess he either underestimated her or didn't realise how reckless and stubborn she could be. He had helped me most of the summer but after a while he left. He wasn't gone long and when he returned he was as in the dark as the rest of us. He hasn't yet told any of us where he had been but I bet it had to do with her.

The helicopter landed and Headmistress Morgan opened the door. She had been worried sick the whole time normally she didn't even leave her office. The expression on her face wasn't of joy or happiness it was relief but she looked sad as well. As Cammie stepped out I heard a lot of whispers and I saw Liz bolting towards her with Macey not too far behind. I wanted to as well but couldn't bring myself to. Instead I stood still an emotionless expression on my face. I heard Macey scolding Cammie about how her dyed hair would give her split ends. When I saw her my eyes widened ever so slightly and I realised why her mum looked so sad. She looked awful; with cuts and scrapes up and down her arms, a bump the size of an egg on her head and the amount of weight she lost. Seriously she probably weighed less than Liz, the girl who once had to return a pair of size 0 trousers because they were too big. I watched her hobble towards me, I still didn't know what to do so I blocked out her words. "Welcome back Headmistress" I gave her a small nod before saying "They're waiting." I hope Cammie realised how much trouble she put us through, I had to admit that she looked pretty damn guilty especially after Macey told her she was an international incident. The elevator ride was just plain awkward, we all stood there as if we didn't even know each other and frankly I wasn't sure if I did know Cammie as well as I thought. The Cammie I know wouldn't have left, she wouldn't have gone 4 months without contact and most importantly the Cammie I know wouldn't have got caught. Because only one thing makes marks like that-torture. Cammie left to go to the infirmary for tests.

Later I bumped into Zach and we went into an empty classroom to talk.  
"Have you talked to Gallagher Girl yet?" he asked.  
"Not yet. You?"  
"Kinda, I saw her when she was on her way for tests. I told her everything was different."  
"Thank you Zach" I said.  
"For what?"  
"For everything, for being there, for helping over the summer and for being there for Cammie last term. She needed you" I explained.  
"It's getting late shouldn't you be getting back?" he asked.  
"I can't go to the room. She'll be there" I spat.  
"You're going to have to talk to her eventually," he told me.  
"I can't do it. What do you say to someone who ran away for four months and didn't even send you a message to let you know she was alive? What do you say to someone who ran away to 'get answers' or whatever and didn't even take you with her?" I was nearly hysterical. "I can't do it" I whispered again.  
"I find that hard to believe. I'm the guy who was with you and your parents all summer. I was in Budapest. I saw you in action in Greece. So don't pull that on me. I know what you're capable of!" he laughed. I suppose it was supposed to be comforting but Zach hadn't been with me and my parents all summer. I wanted to know where he had been and what he had done.  
"Budapest was an exception" and I couldn't help but laugh too. At that moment I could've sworn I heard a creek at the door but I put it down to the fact that Gallagher Academy is so old.  
"What about Macey and Liz?" he asked after a moment.  
"They think we have to act like nothing's wrong-that we have to pretend so maybe she'll get her memory back or whatever" I replied because deep down a little part of me thought she was faking losing her memory, that there was something she didn't want to tell us. I wasn't going to bother pretending.  
"She looks so different" Zach whispered; his eyes showing traces of sadness and hurt. I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.  
"She is different." I faintly heard footsteps leading away from the classroom but I didn't bother saying anything. It was probably one of the teachers out of patrol. I got up of the desk we were sitting on and Zach followed suit.  
"Goodnight Bex! I'll see you tomorrow!" he called before heading off to his room. He acts like a completely different person around Cammie, he acts cocky and cryptic but he can be caring around her. I remember when I first realised he truly did care for her; it was after the incident on election night in DC. He spent most of the night by her, holding her hand, talking to her, comforting her. It's such a pity he doesn't do any of that when she isn't all drugged up. I think that he might be afraid of falling too hard. When he's around me he seems normal (as normal as you can be when you're a spy) but whenever she walks past him I've noticed a definite change in his behaviour. Over the summer Zach's become the brother I never had. Eventually I came to the conclusion that all the drama wasn't good for my brain or my health so I managed to sneak back to my room.  
Only Mace and Lizzie were there "Where's Cammie?" they asked worriedly at the same time.  
"Hell if I know hospital probably. The doctors must be taking their time determining if she's nuts or not" I muttered under my breath but them being spies they heard me.  
"Bex can't you just calm down. Okay sure she ran away but she's here now. And anyway I thought you said you'd at least try to be nice" Macey said softly.  
"I doubt she would react the same way if it were you" put in Liz.  
"If it were me I wouldn't have left by myself in the first place" I retorted.  
Macey gave a dry chuckle "I think we all know you would have. In fact I distinctly remember you trying to escape Gallagher so you could go looking for her. I've got the security tapes to prove it" she smirked I rolled my eyes.  
"Whatever it's getting late I'm going to bed."  
I woke up later than normal the next morning; it seemed that Cammie had not returned during the night. I woke Liz and Macey before having a quick shower. As much as I hate to admit it I missed having to wake Cam up by pouring a vat of cold water over her but I guess everything's changed since then. I sighed and began to make my way down to breakfast. I slid into a spot next to Zach and he immediately started to ask questions.  
"Where is she? Did she go back to your suite last night? Did you talk to her? How is she?" I rolled my eyes at him and shrugged slightly.  
"I wouldn't know, she didn't come back to the room last night. Even if she did I wouldn't talk to her."  
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair "You have to talk to her sometime, you can't spend your entire senior year avoiding her. Do you know what could have happened to her? Do you know what the circle did to her? To make this worse it could've been my mother who had her" he rambled, my eyes widened when I realised what he had said.  
"Your m-m- mother is one of t-t-them?" I spluttered, he realised that he had said the wrong thing but he was saved from answering when Cammie walked in looking as though she had been dragged through a hedge backwards, run over and shot a couple of times for luck. She didn't look anything like my best friend who I just so happen to be avoiding at the moment. Despite how much I hated her for running away a tiny part of me wanted to help her, her uniform almost swallowing her. The bump was beginning to change colour and the marks and bruises on her arms showed no sign of clearing. She looked so small and vulnerable, normally under these circumstances I would help her and Macey, Liz and I would give her a makeover. I got up from the bench and realised that I had been staring of into space for a good ten minutes. I only just caught the end of Tina's rumour, I heard her say something about Mr S being the one who was holding Cammie. "That's it I've heard enough" I huffed.  
"Bex" I heard a small voice from behind me say.  
I turned on her "What?! What do you have to say?" I spat.  
She looked as though she had been stabbed (which come to think of it she probably had) "I'm sorry" she whispered. I was about to answer back when Professor Buckingham trotted over quicker than you would expect someone with a bad hip to.  
"Ah Cameron here you are" she sighed.  
"Yeah, here she is" I hissed before exiting. Before I left I could see Zach silently asking if I wanted him to come but I wanted to be alone.  
At exactly 10:20 am I picked up my stuff and headed off to Sublevel 3. All I needed was a routine and soon everyone would forget about this whole Cammie-is-the-target-of-an-international-terrorist- group thing. Zach came racing down the staircase after me, calling my name. Macey had a firm grip on Cammie's arm, normally it would be a friendly gesture but in this case it was as though Macey thought Cam would make a break for it at any moment. All of the senior CoveOps class walked down the narrow, dim passage with a low ceiling and stone walls. We were almost at the classroom when Zach suddenly stopped, a guilty look on his face. He turned around and saw Cammie who was practically hyperventilating; I didn't know she was claustrophobic. I only realised what was wrong when I vaguely heard Zach mention the tombs. Of course.  
"Cam we're in here!" Abby called to the girl whose eyes were wide with pain as she was probably remembering the day Mr Solomon nearly lost his life and the time where she had been forced to jump of a cliff. She stumbled into the classroom behind me as though she had been taking some kind drug. Abby began to hand out old assignments. "Come on up here Cam you can share with me" she said pulling a stool over for Cammie to sit on. She fidgeted while she sat, seemingly uncomfortable being sat where she was. Abby was completely at ease, even leaning against the table like Mr Solomon used to. "Professor Townsend suggested that this section of the curriculum be postponed - I don't think he even bothered to teach the seniors last year. Not that he taught anything else," I grinned, all that Agent Townsend was interested in was one upping Joe Solomon who he clearly despised. "But I say you need to know." I'll have to admit, Cammie did have logic in her reason for running away but that doesn't make it right. Abby walked to the corner of the room and picked up a wooden crate that everyone leaned over to look into before she placed it beside Cammie. "I say it's time for you to know about this." Zach looked away almost guiltily. And because of his rant this morning I knew why. His mother was in the Circle, he had probably had training with them and he knew what all the bolts and springs were. Abby looked him in the eye (something a lot of people can't do anymore) and said casually "You know what this is don't you?" but it wasn't a question.  
He nodded guiltily "yes" he whispered.  
"I thought so" she said but I knew she wasn't judging him. "Do you feel like telling us about it?"  
He quickly shook his head "No." I already knew what it was, a gun.  
"The Gallagher Academy takes protection and enforcement seriously. And with good reason" Abby said looking at Cammie, her eyes full of pity. "But there are certain things we have not covered… until now. These boxes contain long range, high powered rifles, and they are part of the most controversial topic we will cover at this school. So why is that? Why do people like Agent Townsend think you shouldn't be around these?" it was a fairly simple question.  
"Because they're dangerous" said Tina as if it were that obvious.  
Abby nodded slightly "Yes... but not exactly in the way you think."  
"Because they're active" Eva Alvarez suggested "It's not like P&E, when it's about protecting yourself. They're for going on the offensive."  
"Yes they are. But that's not what makes them so controversial" Abby explained. The answer was (in my opinion) quite simple. After a brief period of silent I spoke. "Because weapons make you lazy. Because if you need a gun it's probably too late for you to actually be safe" I remember Joe Solomon saying something similar back in sophomore year, when we were still in Sublevel 1. Back when everything was different, back when the Circle wasn't after my best friend and back when the biggest things in life to worry about were grades, getting rid of Macey when she first joined and boys. When I look back on it, it all seems rather laughable.  
Abby flashed a grin "That's right. They are among here last things we teach because they are among the very last things you need to know about. They will not keep your covers. They cannot recruit and train an asset. Make no mistake about it ladies and gentleman in the field the only weapon that will keep you alive is your mind and that is where any decent operative puts her time and her faith. And so what I teach you today is not the skill of a true spy. It's the skill of a killer." Mick Morrison was leaning forward, looking like a little kid on Christmas day. You see Mick, the lovely person that she is, has always wanted to hurt someone badly. She's worse than me and that is saying something. Abby carried on with her speech "What I teach you today, I teach you in the hopes that you will never, ever need to-" my eyes widened in shock. Cammie was sitting innocently on her stool as if unaware of the fact that the now fully assembled gun was in her hands pointed towards the door. "Oh My Gosh!" Tina screamed, Cammie just looked confused.  
"Cammie!" Tine was quite obviously panicking, it was only then that Cammie realised that she had put the gun together.  
"How did you do that? Cammie how did you-" Abby's voice was cold but her eyes showed signs of fear. As Abby reached for the gun Cammie slid a bolt in and split a section of the rifle away, it was on safety. But Cam still looked terrified as did most other people in the class.  
"Cammie" Zach voice was sad "put the rifle-" Cammie dropped the weapon, making it smash against the desk. She leapt up of the stool, it clattered to the floor then she pressed herself against the wall. Part of it was to keep her balance but the look in her eyes said she just wanted to disappear like she used to, it was as though she was no longer the Chameleon. Abby's eyes were wide with horror.  
"Cammie how did you do that?" she gulped. Cam forced herself to look at her aunt before whispering "I don't know." She then pelted out of the classroom as fast as her injured ankle would allow, Macey immediately stood up and sped out after the fleeing girl with Abby hot on her heels. Unlike everyone else I didn't follow neither did Zach.  
"They did that didn't they? They taught her how to put that gun together, probably taught her how to kill as well" I sounded defeated.  
"Most likely yes. Have you noticed any change in her behaviour?" Zach asked.  
I shrugged "I don't know I've hardly spoken to her since she got back."  
"Only time will tell then" he sighed.  
For once I was genuinely confused "Tell what?"  
"Never mind it's probably classified anyway" he told me.  
"Where did you go during the summer Zach?" I asked him.  
He took a deep breath "Crazy. I went crazy without her Bex; I know my mom and I honestly didn't think I would see Cam again."  
"Come on we'd better check that she didn't run off again" I said. With one look at Zach's face I could tell it wasn't the time, I hoped that, that bloody girl felt guilty. We sprinted along the cave like tunnel until we came to the entrance that me and the-girl-that-ran-away had accessed when returning to school last January. We came across a rather large group in the Hall of History. Professor Buckingham was yelling at my former best friend. "Cameron! Cameron Morgan what happened here?!" She turned towards Dr Steve who was as white as a sheet except for the red marks circling his neck. Then it clicked Cammie had attempted to strangle him. "Oh Bloody Hell" I cursed.  
"Dr Steve are you-"  
He swallowed awkwardly "I'm fine." Cammie did what she was now famous for doing, she ran away from her problems, if only it were that simple.  
"What is everyone doing loitering around? Move on!" screeched Buckingham.  
Later that night after dinner Zach and I headed to the P&E barn for our daily workout. It started with 150 sit ups, then 100 press ups followed by sparring. Zach didn't seem focused at all, his body was on autopilot and there was a faraway look on his face. After the sit us and the press ups we began to spar. That was when I realised there was something wrong, he made mistakes and he clearly wasn't concentrating because I had him pinned within 5 minutes.  
"Zach what's wrong?" I asked.  
"I just wish everything could go back to the way it was. I want everything to go back to normal. But normal might not have the same meaning ever again" he answered as he went in the direction of his room. I went back to my room, had a quick shower, threw on old track suit bottoms and one of Cammie's old jumpers. Not long later there was a knock on the door; I knew immediately that it wasn't any of my roommates because they didn't knock. I opened the door to find Zach standing there with an amused look on his face, his hair slightly damp from his shower.  
"What's so funny?" I grinned at him.  
"I had just finished in the shower; I wrapped a towel round my waist and headed back to my room. Seriously they should install showers in the faculty rooms. Anyway I ran into Gallagher Girl and it was like the most awkward conversation we've had since the time in the collapsible overhead sleeping bunk" he grinned.  
"I'm guessing you thought she was there to see you when she wasn't."  
He nodded, his cheeks were bright red "How did you know that?"  
"Spy. Who was she there to see?" I pointed to myself.  
"Dr Steve" he laughed too. By the time Macey and Liz came into the room we were laughing so hard we couldn't breathe. I don't know why it wasn't even that funny; I guess it just felt good to laugh again.  
"Bex, what have you done to Zach?" Macey asked.  
"Where's Cammie? She never seems to be around anymore" Liz said sounding disappointed.  
"Last time I saw her she was talking to Dr Steve" Zach put in helpfully.  
I glanced at the clock "What? At half ten at night."  
"I'm going to the library to study memory loss" Liz announced.  
"Maybe she doesn't want to talk to us" Macey said, "she's probably asleep in a passage somewhere." 'How did we get in this situation where Cammie who was always trying to make the best of things was avoiding us? She's always been there for me, the time that she needs me most and I'm ignoring her. When did everything get this messed up' I thought before crawling into my bed.

**A/N- Yes I am alive. I don't know yet whether I'm going to continue my other Gallagher Girls story or not. But anyway, I don't own. Most of the speech is taken straight from the book. Anyway that was the first chapter of my Bex's OSOT story, what do you think! Review and let me know. I think I'm going to update every Wednesday and Saturday but I don't know. Next chapter will be at the Cabin and Zach speaks about his past. Leave a comment please. **


	2. Everything's Different Now

**Who Came Back? **

**A/N – Thanks to those who reviewed, followed and favourite this story. Please keep doing so. Disclaimer… I do not in any way own Gallagher Girls. And now I present chapter 2…**

One thing you need to know about me is that I'm a very light sleeper. So at midnight I heard Liz tip toe back into the room, I know that she tripped over her own feet on her way to the bathroom to get changed. It was an hour later when Cammie eventually crept into the suite, I heard her stub her toe on the corner of her bed and then swear quietly after. Macey for an unknown reason was still awake. I couldn't quite hear their conversation because they were talking too quietly.  
The next day was the weekend so everyone had the opportunity to have a lie in. By the time I finally dragged myself out of bed Cammie had already left, Macey was in the bathroom and Liz was still sleeping listening to one of her science audio tapes. I rolled my eyes and realised that I had in fact missed breakfast. Macey was the only person who still really spent time doing make up because there was only one boy was at Gallagher and he was taken. Well he hadn't exactly asked Cammie out yet but everyone knew it was a matter of time. I had a quick wash and got dressed by the time I had finished Liz was stirring. She began mumbling facts about amnesia which she had probably memorised while she was at the library the night before. I reached to Cammie's bedside table and threw one of her journals at Liz's head.  
"Bex leave me alone, I don't want to help you kill Cammie" she groaned before sitting up.  
Macey turned to me "You asked her if she wanted to help you kill Cam!" she shrieked.  
"I may have proposed the idea but she declined. I'm still stuck on the planning stage you see" I said seriously.  
"Maybe I'd you talked to her you'll understand why she ran" Liz suggested.  
"Don't you get it I'm not mad because she left, I'm mad because she left alone" I was angry again and I left the room before anyone spoke.  
Later on after lunch Zach and I headed to the barn, it was the perfect time. Cammie, I discovered, was with Dr Steve. It appeared that he had agreed to help her.  
"After we've finished here talk to her" he growled.  
He may have been taller and probably stronger but I was as stubborn as you could be "No."  
Zach sighed and dropped to the ground "How would you feel if she ran away now and you didn't even apologise."  
"Apologise! Why would I need to apologise she was the one who ran away without any bloody back up!" I shrieked 'accidentally' punching him. He doubled over clearly winded, you know what I said about him being stronger I take that back.  
"Look Bex, I'm not the one you should take your anger out on" he reasoned then realised that it actually was his fault. "In a very strange way, I kind of enjoyed this summer. It was good to hang out with someone who missed her as much as I did. And Budapest was fun right?" he broke the tension and made me grin slightly.  
"I'm beginning to think something's wrong. Or at least it isn't as okay as she says it is" I mumbled when he put a hand comfortingly on my shoulder.  
"Everything will be fine. I mean she is a Gallagher girl right?" he told me gently. With that we began to spar. Around an hour later Mrs Morgan walked into the barn, she was fuming.  
"The trustees have just been on the phone and it's not good. They want Cammie out. They think she's dangerous, I mean there's obviously something wrong but I know my daughter and she isn't dangerous."  
"It probably has something to do with her summer. You know, what she might have said or done. She may have told them something" Zach said.  
"Come on Zach, we should go" I picked up the water bottle and tugged his arm pulling him outside. We had a gulp each of water before sitting down. I looked up at the Gallagher mansion and saw Cammie standing at one the windows looking outside wistfully, the sadness in her eyes was clear even from where I was sitting. I could tell she was sorry but she had hurt me. I had lost my rock, the person who was there for me no matter what. She should have been with Macey, Liz and I during the summer. It wasn't often that I asked her to just talk. It was always, 'let's break into this' and 'let's steal that.' Just because she didn't cry didn't mean she didn't want to, she was staying strong for us. I decided Zach was right and I should actually try to talk to her. After all I didn't want things to be awkward with us for the rest of senior year. I honestly thought there was something that was wrong; Cammie had never been that distant. Especially with Liz, Macey, her mum and Zach to help her.

Now you may not know this but after Cam ran away Liz hot-wired Cammie's bed so that every time she got up I would get an electric shock. That night I was woken up for the first time. She was running so I did the only sensible thing possible, I followed. I have to admit, she was quick but I was quicker. I followed her down a set of stairs, I had never been in that part of the mansion but I knew where we were. The basement.  
"I should have figured you'd be here" I growled menacingly. She stopped in her tracks. "The least you could do is look at me when I'm talking to you" I glared at her as she turned to face me.  
"Where am I?" her face was screwed up with confusion.  
"Yeah, you're lost. You know every inch of the mansion Cam. If you expect me to believe that you of all people are lost-" I was cut off but I meant what I said, Cammie has ruined more school shirts than anyone who goes to Gallagher.  
"This is the basement" she said slowly. "What am I doing here, Bex? What time is it? How did I get here?!" she looked afraid.  
"If you're running away again you might want to remember your shoes" I said coldly, forget what Zach said, there was no way I was going to let her off that easily.  
I began walking away when she shouted at me "I'm not leaving!"  
I was furious, who was she taking me for, an idiot "Then what are you doing wandering the halls in the middle of the night? What are you doing down here? Why... you know what? Never mind. "  
"I don't know and I was asleep and-" she shivered.  
"Sleepwalking? A likely bloody story" she must think I'm thick.  
I must have pushed her too far because she seemed angry too and I have hardly ever seen her lose her temper, she was the most calm out of all of us; "I wouldn't lie to you, Bex. I have never lied to you!" That was a very good point, she hadn't. Around us she was truthful always telling us where she had been and what she had found out. I wanted to punch myself for being such a bloody idiot. But I didn't want anyone to think I was going soft and the fact I was the most stubborn spy my age.  
Abby came sprinting down the hall "Cammie! Rachel I have her!" Abby pulled her Cammie into a quick hug before shaking her shoulders roughly "Don't do that. Cammie don't leave your suite in the middle of the night again. Do. Not. Do. That" it was the first time anyone had touched her since the whole Dr Steve strangulation incident.  
Mrs Morgan pushed (rather violently) past me and hugged Cammie tightly "Cammie, sweetheart, look at me. Are you OK?" Suddenly I was angry again; everyone was making a big fuss over nothing. The only thing wrong was that Cammie was still mental; I was surprised they didn't put her in a mental hospital. She was obviously losing it but I suppose being the daughter of the headmistress has its perks.  
"Of course she's okay!"  
"Bex" Abby warned.  
Me, being the extremely stubborn spy I am ignore her "She's fine! She's just a-" but I saw the look in Mrs Morgan's eyes so I shut up.  
"Cam what are you doing here" Cammie's mum gripped her skinny arms tightly. Professor Buckingham and Madame Dabney raced down the hall despite Buckingham's bad hip. Liz and Macey were right behind them; Liz was shaking like a Chihuahua.  
"I came here, I came here last spring. That was where I left" she said in a far away, dreamy voice. "Impossible" Buckingham dismissed "that corridor was closed last December. I oversaw the work myself. "  
Cam stared at her mum almost apologetically "There's a branch no one knew about. You missed it. I remember coming here... I came here and then..."  
Liz tried to push her further "What happened next?"  
Cam shook her head. "I don't know" she sounded exhausted.  
"Yes you do. You know. You just have to-" she insisted.  
"Liz" Abby gave her a look that clearly said you-are-not-helping "It's OK. She doesn't have to remember. "They were talking about Cammie as if she wasn't there.  
"Yes I do" said girl yelled "I know you don't want me to remember. I know you think I can't take knowing what happened to me. But don't you see? There's nothing worse than not knowing." I contemplated leaving them to their little family argument but I'll admit I was interested in what they had to say. "Cammie. You're home now. It doesn't matter" Rachel tried to calm Cammie down.  
The hall was silent as Cammie continued arguing with her aunt and her mum "It matters to me. You say I don't want to remember." She held up her bloody fingernails, she had been trying to claw through the walls, "Well this is what not knowing is doing to me." She seemed to shrink; she looked more vulnerable as she whispered "Why didn't you find me." There was an awkward silence in which Abby and Mrs Morgan exchanged a knowing look. "What?" Cammie asked while Abby shook her head.  
"It's nothing Squirt" Abby tried to put Cam at ease but it clearly wasn't working.  
Cam sounded a lot like Abby when she said "What? What aren't you telling me?" Even Abby seemed to back down at the death glare Cam shot at her.  
"We did find you Cammie. We were just a little too late" Mrs Morgan said worriedly.  
And that is why come Monday morning I was crammed into the van between Zach and Dr Steve. Abby and Rachel sat up the very front of the van; I had offered to drive but that idea was ignored for some reason. Cammie, Liz and Macey sat in the row in front of us. Most of the 3 hour ride was in an awkward silence. I could tell Zach was angry but not at Cammie, he was mad at me for saying those things to her.  
"Now Zachary how is that study schedule I designed for you?" Dr Steve asked just over an hour into the journey.  
"Good" Zach replied but I knew he hadn't even looked at it.  
"And your new courses... anything there I should know about?" Dr Steve said as if he hadn't noticed the tension there was.  
"Everything's fine" was Zach's automatic reply but nothing was fine. Cammie was distant, injured and possibly delusional; not to mention his mother who worked for the Circle was after her. "Why did you say those things to her" Zach quietly hissed.  
"I have a quick temper and well she didn't exactly help. Can you blame me though? I thought she was running away. I mean it was the middle of the night, she was running and she just so happened to go to the place where she left last summer" I tried to explain.  
"Do you know how much danger she is in? Do you know how terrible I feel? Do you know how much this is killing me? What would you do if she did run away again and you didn't even say what was really on your mind? I know you're angry at her but you'd do the same thing to get answers and keep your friends safe" Zach whispered, this was the real Zachary Goode. He wasn't acting cocky, mysterious or cryptic, he was being himself. Even so I wasn't sure I was ready to talk to her because knowing me I'd just get angry again.  
After what seemed like forever we pulled up in a place I knew to be Joe Solomon's cabin/safe house. "You know where we are?" Headmistress Morgan asked Cammie who looked puzzled.  
When she nodded Liz got excited "It's coming back? See I knew it would come back if we just had patience and faith, and now it's-"  
Macey rolled her eyes "It's not back Liz." She looked sad and then I realised that this was where she had run. She blamed herself; she thought she should have known Cammie would have come here.  
"It's Mr Solomon's cabin" Cam said, my roommates, Zach and I tensed considering that he was currently in a coma. Dr Steve stepped out of the van squinting slightly  
"Well it's certainly... rustic."  
"I was here?" Cam was surprised; it was obvious she never expected to run to here.  
Abby took her dark sunglasses of "When we discovered you were gone, we notified all the key people, but we couldn't look for you like we normally would without alerting the Circle that you were missing. From an operational standpoint, that was the hardest part."  
I could've sworn Rachel Morgan glared at her daughter as she spoke "We had to keep it quiet. We couldn't let them know you were in the wind. Alone." I also noticed that Cammie's eyes watered slightly. Abby spoke once more "But we knew how you were trained. And we had an idea of what resources you had with you, and..."  
How Liz could be so happy I would never know "We knew you."  
I pushed past Cam scowling "Or we thought we did."  
Macey seemed indifferent "We didn't know where you were, Cammie. But this seemed as good a place as any to run."  
Cam stopped in the cabins doorway "I don't think I would have come here. I mean, how can you be sure I came here?" she said thoughtfully.  
Abby laughed but I'm sure it was fake "Oh you were good Squirt" she walked inside, walked to a cabinet and turned on the small TV Joe had "But Joe was better." I turned to face the other way.  
"How long?" I heard Cam ask after a short pause.  
"Four days. We think. We don't know exactly when you left because-" Rachel Morgan trailed of. They didn't know exactly when because Cammie broke the camera or something.  
"Judging from the time stamp on the tape, that was two days before we came here looking for you. By then the cabin was empty. We didn't have any idea where you'd gone until the day you called from Austria" Abby told her but she didn't sound angry. I was but for the first time my anger wasn't directed at Cammie. I was angry at Abby and the Headmistress because they could and should have checked the cabin first because that was after all the place Macey had run to.  
"Why are you telling me this now? Why didn't you bring me here first thing?" demanded Cammie. "Cammie" Rachel sighed.  
"I need to remember. I have to" Cam sounded stubborn.  
Abby spoke not from the aunt point of view but as the CoveOps teacher "Why would you come here, Cam?"  
"I don't know" Cam said quickly.  
"Not why did you. Why would you" Abby pointed out.  
Cammie sounded more aware and more like herself when she answered "I didn't know for sure that I was going to leave until the night before I did. I didn't have a lot of time to plan or pack. Time. I would have gone somewhere to buy time. I couldn't get supplies out of the Sublevels without someone seeing or suspecting I was up to something. I remember packing clothes and money. Sorry about that. I'll pay you back" she added talking to Macey.  
"Oh I'll think of a way you can repay me" Macey said.  
Cammie continued speaking "I needed a safe place off the radar and time to think and... gear. I needed gear." Cammie is the only one of us to think that running away for 4 months and not contacting us is right. Even if Liz, Macey or I were targeted we wouldn't run. Cam said she wasn't running away, she was running towards answers but to us it didn't matter why she left, if she left at all she should have taken us with her.  
"Zach what is it" Mrs Morgan's voice cut through my thoughts and snapped me back to reality. I turned around and saw him walking toward a bookshelf. "These are out of order" he said simply. He pushed the books out of the way and pulled out a section of panelling that was loose.  
"What was in there Zach? Was it weapons, passports, cash?" Abby asked him but he was unsure.  
"I don't know. He never showed me this" I think that was one of the first times I had heard him admit to a group of people he didn't know something.  
"Think Zach! What did Joe-"  
Mrs Morgan stood stiffly "Not Joe. That's not Joe's hiding place. It's Matthew's."  
Cammie's eyes grew misty "I must have found it. I found whatever he left and then... I lost it. Just like I lost his journal and..." she didn't have to finish the sentence. We all knew she was going to say 'my memory.'  
Liz being the ever so sympathetic friend she is tried to make her feel better "It's OK Cam." Zach left the room and I wanted to make sure he was okay; I slammed the door behind me as I went to talk to him.  
Zach looked up at me and immediately started talking well more blaming himself really "I should have known she'd come here. I should have known." It was his fault she had run but I didn't blame him for some reason.  
"Don't blame yourself. You aren't the one to blame" my voice was icy. I heard the door of the cabin slam and I knew she was running.  
"Go find her" Zach whispered. When I found her I stamped on a stick to gain her attention, she whirled round, her eyes narrowing slightly when she saw me.  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you" venom lacing my voice.  
"It's not an act, Bex. I really don't remember" she said as if reading my mind. I cocked a hip  
"Why you left? Or why you didn't come back?" I asked temper flaring.  
"I know why I left" she shot back, her short black hair flying into her face.  
"Really? Because I don't" I felt like attacking her.  
"What was I supposed to do Bex? Keep going until you ended up in a coma? Until Liz ended up dead?" she sounded mad too.  
"You didn't have to go on your own" I spat back because honestly if she were to leave she could have at least taken her best friends with her.  
"Yes I did!" she yelled.  
"CoveOps rule number 21 - An operative should never enter a deep cover situation without initiating emergency contact protocols" I repeated my thoughts from earlier.  
"CoveOps rule number 7 - The essence of Covert Operations is an operative's willingness and ability to work in deep cover operations alone" she countered.  
I flinched "Don't you quote Joe Solomon when he isn't here to tell you you're wrong."  
"The fact that he isn't here proves that I'm right. You don't get it Bex. Eventually we all end up alone" she explained as if I were a toddler.  
"In what scenario is you on your own preferable to you with backup" because I could at a push forgive he for not being a good friend but I couldn't forgive her for not being a very good spy. Right now it was if she were a rookie not the Chameleon who had already become well known as one of the best spies her age, who had already made a name for herself and who would probably be recruited to the CIA straight after graduation while the rest of us had to work for it.  
Her face had turned red with anger "You know, I never got to ask how you spent your summer, Rebecca," oh no she didn't. "Do anything special?"  
"You know the usual. Swimming. TV. Scanning the CIA bulletins for signs that my best friend was dead" I replied sarcastically.  
She started climbing to the top of the hill "Oh I'm sure it wasn't all gloom and doom. Zach seems like quite the travel buddy. I mean you did go to Budapest right?"  
"How did you know about-" I spluttered indignantly.  
"I'm a spy Rebecca. So what was it? Mission with your parents? Vacation? Romantic Getaway" she said sounding less like herself than ever.  
"What do you think we were doing in Budapest? Who do you think we were trying to find? If you have to ask, then you don't know us at all" I said but I was scared at the same time, what if I had lost my best friend? What if we never put this behind us? To me she was gone; Cammie was still on the run. I didn't know who the girl on the hill arguing with me was but she wasn't my friend, I didn't even know her.  
"What do I have to do Bex? Tell me what I have to do or say or prove." I didn't know what to say so I started to walk away. "The Circle needs me alive! They would have killed you Bex. They would have killed anyone but me without a second thought. But me... they need me alive" I stopped in my tracks and turned to face her.  
"That's funny because you look half dead from here" that may be going slightly too far but she did use my full name which she knows that I hate. And then a gunshot rang out.  
I didn't think twice I dived behind a log for cover. Her eyes were glazed over as she lay next to me; I wanted to shake her back to reality. "Cam" I said, she didn't respond. "Cam!" I shouted shaking her arm, my eyes wide with fear. "Cam how far?" I wasn't quite panicking but I wasn't far of it.  
"A hundred and fifty yards" how she knew that I didn't know. A second shot was fired as it pierced the log we were using as cover. "That was closer" she said nervously.  
"They're coming" I tried to stay calm but I was failing. Our cover behind that log wouldn't be useful much longer. "The Box Square method?" I asked.  
"The Brennan-Black technique?" she suggested but we both knew they were useless. "Stay here" she commanded but I wasn't going to take it lying down.  
"Are you crazy?" I yelled I pulled her back down. She did look crazy, she had a strange look in her eyes, I don't how to explain it but she looked different, wild, delusional.  
"I'll circle around him. Or her. Or them. And then-" she tried to tell me her plan but I wasn't listening to it.  
"Are you bloody crazy!?" I asked louder than last time. A third shot was fired, he/she/them was getting closer, we were both thinking the same thing one hundred yards.  
"Bex let me go. I can outflank them and come around from behind. I'll be fine. They won't-" we were both on our feet facing each other as another shot rang out.  
I saw where the bullet hit and I realised something "Cammie where was I standing? Where was I standing?" I somehow managed to keep my voice even.  
"He missed you by at least 5 feet so let's figure he's moving to his left" she said. I was scared but not for me, for her. It seemed the Circle no longer needed Cammie alive. "And that means... And that means..." she couldn't get the words out. She began muttering the same thing over and over again under her breath "They need me alive. They need me alive. "  
"Cam, it means they weren't shooting at me" I said as calmly as I could. There was an eerie silence in the woods. She began to hum this weird carnival type music, getting louder and louder. Something was wrong with her and I had no idea what. "Cammie" I shook her roughly. I was getting scared, I wouldn't tell her though.  
"Bex" Cammie muttered grabbing my hands.  
"Yeah?" I asked. The next shot was even closer, seventy five yards at the least.  
"I'm sorry" she was determined. Before I could react she had kicked me (quite hard at that) and had sent me tumbling down the hill. She came rolling down the hill not a moment later. It probably wasn't the smartest idea ever, she was after all still concussed but it was the easiest not to mention quickest way down the hill. I landed in a bush 20 feet away from Cammie; I jumped to my feet immediately. "How many?" I asked Cam, forcing myself to keep calm.  
"Just one... I think" she was agitated. And then I saw him. He was average height and didn't look particularly strong or muscular but he was agile like a cat as he prowled through the woods getting closer and closer. I knew we were deep in the middle of the woods because of the light and I knew that we were roughly two hundred yards away from the main gravel path. I didn't know when things got so goddamn serious and complicated.  
"High ground?" I asked.  
"High ground" she agreed quickly. We took of sprinting; well I did Cammie kind of staggered. I bounded ahead, leaping over rocks and fallen logs. It probably didn't help that Cammie's ankle was sprained but that didn't seem like the only problem. It seemed her stamina had deteriorated over the summer. I slowed so I was running at the same pace as her, going almost painfully slowly. "Bex, I'm holding you back" she panted.  
"Don't be silly. Of course you aren't." I lied.  
"Of course I am. He's a lone gunman, and we have numbers" she retaliated.  
"We're not splitting up, so you can bloody well forget-" I snapped.  
"What would Mr Solomon say?" she asked sadly.  
"I'm not leaving you" I didn't bother answering the question.  
She grinned slightly "You're not leaving me Bex. You're doubling our chances." The shot that was fired next hit a tree only ten feet away from us. I realised this was not the time for arguing.  
"I'll see you at the cabin" I told her grudgingly.  
"I'll see you at the cabin" she agreed. I sprinted on ahead; I was going to get help. I was almost over the hill when I heard a shot ring out, I heard someone's cry of pain and I knew it wasn't Cammie that was hit. A second shot was fired immediately after. I reached the top of the hill and sped towards the cabin. I heard someone behind me and I prayed it was Cammie. I felt something cold, heavy and metal press into my back and I knew I was in danger. I elbowed the man in the face, turned to face him and did something that would get Cam's attention-I screamed as loudly as I could. The man fired another shot, it only missed me because I dived of to the side just in time, I screamed again but this time it was genuine. I lunged but the man didn't fall. He shifted his weight and I went flying. He was about to shoot, I heard Cammie's cry of "No!" So I twisted and kicked out, my foot came into contact with the gun, sending it sliding across the rocks. I knocked him of his feet but he punched me across the face so hard I rolled halfway down the hill. I closed my eyes and quietly groaned, my eye throbbing painfully. I opened my eyes quickly and saw the man reaching for a knife. I got up shakily, the man tried to stab me with the knife that was clutching firmly. I was about to block the blow but before I could someone fired the gun. I screamed when I saw the body of the agent at my feet, that was the most scared I have ever been in life.


	3. What Happened to Her?

**What Happened to Her?**

By the time we got back to school the sun was setting. The ride back had been spent in complete silence, no one talked at all. Inside Gallagher I went to one of the few secret passageways I knew. I sat there curled up in a ball until Zach stumbled across me twenty minutes later. He was pale but he was mad very mad.  
"I hate them!" he spat. "Why does the Circle have to be after her? I hate them! I hate her!"  
"When did everything become like this. It's just one big confusing mess" I replied.  
"Why her? Why is the Circle after her? Why did my mother have to join them?" he whispered the last part.  
"So your mum wasn't always evil? What was she like?" I was curious.  
He sighed "She used to be the best. She used to be an actual mother to me. You know? Taking me to the movies, cheering me up when I was down and taking me on holidays. I was seven when she changed, that was when I first saw her kill someone. She had just taken me to the zoo and she said she had to make a quick stop before we went home. I thought it would help my training if I tailed her; she cornered someone in an alleyway. She didn't even blink an eye; she pulled out a gun and shot him. I never looked at her the same, by that time she had already been working with the Circle for a year. All I saw my mom as was a killer and nothing else she wasn't my mom anymore. When I heard that I was coming to Gallagher for the exchange I was scared out of my mind. I knew that my mom had been here so I thought all Gallagher Girls were trained to be like her. To be killers" that was the most Zach had opened up to anyone.  
"What changed your mind about us?" I wanted as much information out of Zach as possible because he would probably never open up like that again.  
"When I got closer to Cammie I suppose. I remember thinking that she was sticking to her cover but after a while I realised that she wasn't an assassin. I just wanted to protect her even though she can take care of herself. It killed me when I found out that summer that she was the target" he explained.  
"You knew that Cam was the target not Macey and you didn't say anything to her! She should have been warned. We spent a lot of that term tailing Mace all over the place when we were actually endangering Cammie! You should have said something" I ranted.  
"Don't you get it if I told her straight away my cover would have been blown. I wanted to tell her, but I had to make mom think I was on her side" he replied.  
"What side are you on?"  
"Cammie's side. I'm on her side no matter what" he replied seriously.  
"She killed someone" I muttered.  
"She's not herself, there's something wrong. I don't know Cam as well as you but I do know that she wouldn't do that. Have you noticed anything different about her?"  
"When we were at the cabin she had a weird look in her eye. She knew how to assemble a gun in CoveOps class. From what Macey and Liz said she's been losing track of time and Cammie has never lost track of time. And she keeps on singing this carnival song with a dazed expression on her face" I ticked them off.  
"It's my fault, none of this would have happened if I hadn't asked her to run away" he was back to blaming himself.  
"It's not your fault, at least she back."  
"That's not what you were saying a few hours ago" a ghost of a grin of his face.  
"I changed my mind."  
"What because she killed someone?"  
"It's not that I don't know. I guess she's actually just lucky to be alive and I shouldn't hold a grudge. She killed someone though so something must be really wrong" I said.  
"She may have killed someone but she saved you. That man wouldn't have hesitated to kill you, you were disposable" his voice sounded bitter.  
"You and Cam are a lot more alike than you realise."  
"How? What makes you say that?"  
"Just, you'd do anything to protect people close to you, you'd both die to bring down the circle, you both have had terrible things happen to you because of them, and you both have been put through too much, emotionally and physically. You look older and more exhausted because of it and no matter how much you deny it you need each other. Cammie will never tell you that but she needs you Zach, you make her feel safe and happy. She's happy when she's with you."  
He gaped at me "I didn't think that she felt like that. I'll always be there for her."  
"I think I'm going to go and apologise considering she probably isn't in the best of moods with me right now. Thanks again Zach" I exited the passage.  
I opened the door to the suite; Macey and Liz were sitting on their beds.  
"Where's-" I about to ask but Mace seems to read my mind.  
"She's been in there for half an hour. We've heard her sing this weird carnival song a couple of times getting louder and louder each time" she pointed to the bathroom.  
"Cammie. Cammie come out" Liz banged on the door.  
I could faintly hear Cam talking to herself. "I'm fine" she reassured herself. There was a smash; I knew Cammie had broken the mirror.  
"Cammie open this door! Open this-" Macey yelled banging on the door before I cut across her.  
"Cam!" I kicked the door hard, it flew open. She was standing a pained expression on her face. "Cammie! Cam are you OK?" But she wasn't and we all knew that there was something terribly wrong. This was proved when she began pulling open drawers randomly.  
"I hate her, I hate her" she muttered under her breath. She picked up a pair or scissors, grabbed a handful of hair.  
"Cam!" Liz warned.  
"Cammie, no!" I snapped as if I were simply talking to a naughty child. "No." I twisted the scissors out of her grip.  
"I killed a man Bex" looks like I wasn't the only one thinking about that.  
For once my bulletproof act was gone "He would have killed me. I would have died." I could've died, I could've died.  
"I don't even remember picking up that gun" she said.  
"I'm alive because you picked it up" I shuddered as I remembered how close the agent was to stabbing me.  
Cam proved something was wrong again. "She did that" she pointed at what was left of the mirror. She managed to get the scissors of my hand and was about to cut her hair. I remembered a certain incident in 8th grade.  
"Don't do that. I seem to remember a fringe incident in the eighth grade that taught us you are not the person who should do that" suddenly we were all laughing, the details of the afternoon temporarily forgotten.  
"Dr Fibs has hydrogen peroxide in the lab right?" Mace asked.  
Liz was really offended "Of course he does."  
I could have sworn a slightly afraid look passed across Cam's face when Macey turned to Liz and said almost menacingly "Get it. We have work to do."  
My job was to wash and bleach her hair, Macey trimmed away split ends. When we had finished she looked slightly more like herself but the bump was still visible, new bruises mixed with old ones on her arms and she was still too skinny.  
My eye was still throbbing painfully, Liz happened to have a first aid kit and she was asleep, so I broke into it and stole an ice pack. Liz was listening to an ancient languages textbook on an audiotape, Macey was smirking smugly in her sleep. Cammie was still awake sitting on her bed with her head in her hands.  
"Are you alright?" I asked startling her.  
"I'm fine" her voice cracked.  
"Seriously, I can tell you're lying" I sighed.  
"I don't know my heads all messed up. I feel like I'm going to end up spending my senior year half a step behind everyone else. I wish I could remember, I need my memory back."  
"We'll figure this out I promise we will. I'm sorry" I blurted.  
"What for? Everything's my fault, I'm the one who put you in danger, I'm the one who ran away, I'm the one that got caught and can't remember the summer. I'm the one thought you and Zach were... you know... together" she seemed embarrassed.  
"I don't exactly blame you for the Zach thing, I mean before the holidays we hardly spoke to each other. We became close because we were the ones who wanted to be with you the most. No, I'm sorry for all those things I said and I would probably have left as well. Did Liz and Macey tell you that when I found out you left, I tried to break out of Gallagher to come after you but I was caught by the security guards?" I smiled.  
She laughed "Where did you go during the summer?"  
"Basically we were following a trail gone cold. We were looking for the sake of looking but we knew we wouldn't find you. You're the Chameleon of course we wouldn't find you" I didn't bother to add that another reason we couldn't find her was because the Circle probably had her. I felt horrible; we should have found her earlier.  
"It's not your fault Bex, if it's anyone's fault it's mine OK. But if I were to go back in time and do it all again, I wouldn't have done it differently" she said noticing the expression on my face.  
"Have you ever considered it's better not knowing. Sometimes ignorance is bliss."  
She shook her head "I have to remember, what it I found out something really important?"  
"Yeah, but here's the thing Cam, what if _they_ found out something really important?" I told my friend who was sitting with her head in her hands looking like she had a really bad hangover.  
"No, I would never give up any information that I know. I want the Circle gone as much as the CIA, Secret Service and MI6 do. If not more" she said gesturing to the fact that she looked like crap.  
"I believe you Cam, we all do" lie. I knew for a fact that the trustees were coming later that morning because they thought she was a danger to society or whatever. "Get some sleep Cam" you'll need it.  
"Night Bex. And really, I am sorry" she muttered and before long the room was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing and the noise of air rushing past Macey's diamond nose ring.  
I eventually drifted off to sleep an hour later but was jerked (literally) from sleep only three and a bit hours later. It appeared Cammie had got up out of bed hence the reason I was receiving small electric shocks.  
She snuck into the bathroom and came out five minutes later wearing school uniform.  
"Where are you going?" I squinted through the dark.  
"Waffles. The kitchen will be opening soon and I want..." She stopped, I was doubtful about this waffle thing but I didn't want to start another argument. However I had also heard the trustees were coming early this morning.  
"Waffles. I'm craving waffles."  
I was knackered "Tell your waffles hi for me." I may have sounded like a crazy person but I knew Zach was supposed to stop Cammie from going anywhere near her mum's office because of the trustees. So I was actually making sense because Zach was Zach so he would find her. I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling remembering every single detail of what happened at the cabin. I thought about the wild, manic, crazy look in her eyes. The way she killed that man. The way she knew how to assemble the gun in CoveOps. And how the song she had been singing was stuck in my head. Did anything have anything to do with a carnival? I continued to stare up at the ceiling in a world of my own. And that is how Liz and Macey found me two and a half hours later.  
"Good morning, sleep well?" Liz asked.  
"If you include staying up until like 2 and then being woken up at 5:45 by Cammie good then yes."  
"You could have gone back to sleep though" Macey scolded.  
"I was thinking" I replied in the same distant voice Cammie had adopted recently, she always seemed to be away fairies.  
"Up, we have work to do" instructed Macey.  
"No, if anyone asks say I'm in bed with food poisoning. I want to stay here and think" I said.  
"You know no one would believe you. Chef Louis makes the best food ever. Remember he worked at the White House" she rolled her eyes. My head pounded as I sat up groaning. "That's what you get for not getting enough sleep" Macey commented.

My body was on autopilot once more as I made my down for breakfast. I hadn't been sitting down for 5 minutes when Cammie stumbled into the hall, holding hands with Zach. She had clearly been crying.  
"Well how are _you_ this morning" Tina asked loudly so that the whole hall heard her. She obviously had no idea what happened during our 'field trip.'  
"Scoot" he hissed. He helped Cammie sit down and then piled bacon onto his plate before handing the plate of sizzling bacon to her.  
"No thanks. I'm not hungry" she said wrinkling her nose.  
"I thought you wanted waffles" I stared at her.  
"Here" Zach dropped a waffle on her plate before she had the chance to open her mouth.  
"No I'm really not-" she started.  
"You're too skinny" said Liz. I snorted, hypocrite.  
"It's true. Some girls look better with some fullness in their face" Macey said not saying that Cammie wasn't just skinny she looked like she would snap in half.  
"The hair looks good" I commented. And I wasn't lying; she looked more like the Cammie from last term. Her hair was almost her original colour and her uniform wasn't as baggy on her as it had been when she had first come back. But everything was different; the mischievous twinkle that used to be in her eyes was replaced with a haunted, dead look. The Cammie who looked on the bright side was replaced by someone who knew too much, she knew how to assemble a gun, use a gun and someone who had been put under torture for information she supposedly had. She had already been through more than an average CIA operative would go through in their lives. I wish we could have stopped her from leaving, I wish I could have been there for her.

**A/N- So there you go the third chapter. What did you think; if you could PLEASE take the time to review that would make me very happy and possibly update more. So I don't own. Thanks! **


	4. What Happened in Rome?

What Happened in Rome?

"Good call on the trim" I said smiling slightly.  
"Yeah. It's a patch job but it's better" Macey said. Cammie looked like she was about to scream, she had a hand on her head. One glance at Zach's face told me everything; she had listened in on her mums' meeting with the trustees. This was not good, not good at all. I began making myself a cup of tea. I love tea because it reminds me slightly of home, it calms me down.  
"Did you see your mum?" I asked. She stared at me, almost as if in confusion.  
"She was busy." We all nodded in unison, Mrs Morgan had informed us all yesterday that the trustees were coming.

"I'm stuffed" Cammie said after 10 minutes. She hasn't eaten properly in a day or two. She stood up to leave the hall but we were determined to never let her leave our sights. It was like it was a normal day, well normal doesn't really apply to spies-in-training but it felt like everything was back to how it used to be. That was until Liz dropped her bag. Now I know what you're thinking, a bag, how does that change our otherwise typical day? The contents of the bag went flying across the floor. Most of it looked like junk; bills and old magazines, pizza prices and going-out-of-business flyers. Macey stooped over and picked up a brochure for an up and coming election.  
"What's that?"  
"Mail. I got it from the cabin. I thought I'd go read it to him." A pair of helpful eighth graders stooped down to help us pick up all the rubbish.  
"We've got it" Macey said in an offhand tone, I shot them a look and they scurried away. I nearly laughed when I scanned over the flyers.  
"Oh, I sure he's very interested in the prices of fertiliser at the local feed store."  
"It might help" Liz had an offended look on her face as she stood there with her arms crossed. "According to Strouse and Fleinberg, normal interactions, conversions and activities can stimulate the unconscious mind to..." Cammie stiffened as she stated at an ordinary manila envelope with airmail stickers from France, the stamps were Italian.  
"Who's that from?"

Her voice was constricted as she choked out her answer "Me." I didn't think twice, didn't hesitate. I snatched up the parcel and sped off to find Mrs Morgan. 'This might finally help Cammie get her memory back' was the thought swirling around in my brain as I ran. My heart was hammering in my throat as I tentatively approached Mrs Morgan's office but it had nothing to do with my run there. I'll admit that I was nervous, what was inside the package? I completely ignored Cammie as Abby opened the door, she looked as though she could either cry or beat someone up but either way the results would probably be the same.  
"This is not a good time" she hissed, her voice catching slightly in her throat.  
"We need to see Headmistress Morgan. We need to talk to both of you" my eyes were pleading her to let us in. Abby started to speak but I shoved the package into her hands. "This was at the cabin" was all I needed to say. Abby looked like she was about to pass out "Rome," she whispered, her eyes wide.  
"Show me" she whispered.  
"What's so important about Rome?" I whispered, I think she heard me though because she shot me a look saying 'now is not the time.' I nodded as I stepped inside the office, Cammie and the others were just behind me. Abby looked extremely pale, I could tell she wasn't one to show emotions, much like Cam really. I placed the package on the table and sat down expectantly.  
"You found it..." started Rachel Morgan but was cut off by Liz.  
"At the cabin," Cammie and I both flinched, "with the rest of Mr Solomon's mail. I guess Cam must have mailed it to him or something." My mind was working quickly, why would she send it there if she knew he was in a coma?  
"Cammie, are you sure it's your handwriting?" he asked as if she was cracking up and couldn't recognise her own handwriting.  
"Oh it's hers, I'd know that crazy-person scrawl anywhere," I said with a half-laugh. It was true; Cammie's writing was a mess at times especially if she was in a hurry. I sometimes needed Liz in order to decipher her messy writing.  
"It's a package I sent from Rome. I've always wanted to go to Rome."  
'Yeah but not because you wanted to escape the Circle of Cavan,' I thought bitterly. We always talked about how much we wanted to go there. Right then though I thought about how much we had moved on from digging around in some boy's rubbish.

Liz started to go on about how we should have the package X-rayed but Abby dived forward, grabbed it and ripped it open like an excited child on Christmas Day; except there was nothing happy or relaxing about the situation. Sitting there almost taunting us were three bracelets with thin wires twisted to spell our names, two pendants on chains for Headmistress Morgan and Abby and a necklace. I would recognise that emblem anywhere; it was the Gallagher family seal. Now, I know what you're thinking, I thought Gillian Gallagher got rid of anything to do with her family how have you seen it? Well the answer is simply that I have Liz, during the summer between searching for Cam and nearly burning down her house with her awful cooking she did some research on the Gallagher family and emailed me some info. I didn't open my mouth however, I was too busy thinking about how the hell Cammie got it and I can tell Lizzie was too.  
It seemed Macey didn't really care because she clapped her hands eagerly "So when do we leave? I can call Dads secretary and get a jet here by the end of the day." I was thinking about how great it would be to have a girl's holiday in Rome but knew it was too good to be true. Abby was deep in 'spy mode' as Cammie calls it. I glanced up to see a look flash across her face but I couldn't place it, Cammie however could.  
"What is it Abby? What aren't you telling me?" she asked. Just as Abby was about to spill Rachel Morgan interrupted "Abby no-" but was in turn cut off.  
"She has a right to know, Rachel. Cam deserves to know that it's all my fault," and even though Abigail Cameron wasn't one for emotions she looked guilty. Rachel shook her head "You're wrong."  
Abby didn't miss a beat "Am I?"  
Zach looked cautious "What does Rome mean?" Ah, the great Zachary Goode doesn't know as much as he lets on.  
"Someone tell me," and for once I'll have to admit that Cammie didn't sound miles away from the spoiled heiress she's supposed to be.  
"About a month before your father disappeared he called me. He was excited about something - more excited than I'd heard him in years. He didn't want to tell Joe or even your mother but he was close to something that could bring the Circle down. Those were his words 'Bring the Circle down'. And he wanted me to come and meet him - to help him. But I was late... He was calling me from Rome. That's what Rome means." Cammie looked like she was going to pass out, she might have found something about the mystery surrounding her father and she had forgotten it along with the rest of the summer. Rachel attempted to comfort Abby but failed.  
"So when do we leave?" Macey asked and I knew the answer before it even left Zach's lips.  
"That's the thing Macey. We don't" he said.  
Liz began to protest but Cammie finished her sentence "A risk. It's a big risk. I'm a big risk." I glanced over at the two adults whose eyes were wide. Their suspicions were confirmed the Chameleon had done it again, she had listened in on a conversation she shouldn't have heard, and this time it was between the teachers of Gallagher Academy and the trustees.  
Liz was genuinely confused "But we went to the cabin and found this. It has to matter. It has to mean something."  
Cammie looked up and swallowed "We went to the cabin and the Circle found me. And then I killed someone."  
"They sent someone to kill her Liz and they'll keep sending people until they succeed" Zach spoke up.  
**PROS AND CONS OF GOING TO ROME IN HOPE OF FINDING ANSWERS!**  
(A list by Operatives Baxter, Sutton and McHenry)  
**PRO** - You might find out what happened to Cams dad.  
**CON** - You might find out what happened to Cams dad.  
**PRO** - You get to finally go to Rome.  
**CON** - You might discover that because of the Circle you don't want to go to Rome.  
**PRO** - You have back up just in case.  
**CON** - You have back up (according to Operative McHenry quite a lot MI6 and Secret Service agents are really up themselves.)  
**PRO** - You might finally get to show the Circle what you're made of.  
**CON **- You probably won't get to show the Circle what you're made of because they are assassins, are more experienced and did I mention that they are freaking assassins.  
**PRO** - It's a mission.  
**CON** - It could potentially be a life threatening mission.  
**PRO** - It would look great on your resume.  
**CON **- You could get hurt.  
**CON** - Your friends could also get hurt.  
**CON **- The Chameleon could do a runner.  
**PRO** - If she did do a runner she would be caught.  
**CON** - It is likely the Circle would catch her.

'If we do go to Rome the odds aren't exactly in our favour' I thought as I trudged out of Rachel's office and slowly shut the door. I should have known that with Cammie's luck something would go wrong but I was too curious to care. 'Rome here we come' I thought feeling a bit excited.

**A/N- So there's the fourth chapter. Please just take a minute to review and I promise I'll update quicker next time. I've just had a lot of crap going on but next time should be a long chapter. So yeah, the more reviews the quicker I update.**


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